Certain eye conditions including inter alia Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema, uveitis, and the like, require specific drug quantities at regular intervals for undetermined periods of time. Shots of specific drug quantities are administered at the present time by intraocular injection notwithstanding that they are traumatic and can lead to eye infections, and other undesirable complications.
Conventional intraocular drug dispensers include a drug reservoir from which a drug is released by diffusion or osmosis through a membrane for continuously administering drugs into an eye's vitreous cavity over relatively prolonged periods of time. However, the operation of such intraocular drug dispensers are often impeded by natural fibrous tissue growing thereon resulting in their actual drug delivery rate being lower than their intended drug delivery rate or even completely blocked to the detriment of an intended treatment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,443 to Parel et al. illustrates and describes intraocular and intraorbital implantable devices for the controlled release of pharmacological agents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,233 to Weiner et al. illustrates and describes an intraocular drug delivery tack for transversing an eye's pars plana for administering a drug to the eye's vitreous cavity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,173 to Avery et al illustrates and describes an intravitreal medicine delivery system device for administering a drug to an eye's vitreous cavity. US Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0110591 to Brubaker et al. illustrates and describes a sustained release drug delivery device for suturing to an eye wall.